Iriomote Island

Island Hikyo

Prefecture

Okinawa

Type

Island · Hikyo

N/A

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Restaurant Cafe

About This Destination

Okinawa's second-largest island, nearly all subtropical forest and mangrove, and part of a World Natural Heritage site since 2021. There is no airport: you fly to Ishigaki and take a 40 to 55 minute ferry, and the northern route to Uehara is the one that gets cancelled when the sea is rough.

Iriomote is the second-largest island in Okinawa after the main island, and most of it is subtropical forest that no road crosses. A single coast road runs around the north and east from Shirahama to Toyohara; past Shirahama, settlements like Funauki are reached by boat. Since 2021 the island has been part of the World Natural Heritage site it shares with Amami-Oshima, Tokunoshima and northern Okinawa. The Iriomote cat lives nowhere else. The last estimate, from a 2008 survey, was about 100 animals and falling. The Ministry of the Environment's wildlife center on the island counts road deaths every year, so drive slowly, above all at dusk and dawn, and call the 24-hour line (0980-85-5581) if you find an injured or dead cat. The Urauchi River is Okinawa's longest. A boat runs about 30 minutes upstream (3,000 yen per adult when four or more board; a group of one, two or three pays 12,000, 6,000 or 4,000 yen per person), and a forest trail goes on to the Mariudu and Kanpire falls. The Nakama River by Ohara Port has what the island's ecotourism council calls Japan's largest mangrove forest; cruises leave from the port itself. Pinaisara Falls, the biggest drop of any waterfall in Okinawa, is reached by kayak and a forest walk, but only with a registered guide and town approval: it has been a restricted area since March 2025.

Location

Prefecture: Okinawa

Address: Taketomi, Okinawa, Japan

Nearest Station: Ohara Port

Best time to visit: March to June and October to November; summer into early autumn is typhoon season, when ferries can stop for days, and from October to February the Uehara route is cancelled often enough that both ferry companies publish a backup bus timetable for it

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I walk to Pinaisara Falls without a guide?

No. Since 1 March 2025 the Hinai River, where the falls are, has been a restricted area under Japan's Ecotourism Promotion Act. You need prior approval from the town of Taketomi and a registered guide with you, and entering without approval can be penalized. The Hinai River is capped at 200 people a day (300 combined with the neighbouring Nishida River). The guide company usually files the application, which opens six months ahead, and the approval fee is 500 yen per person when it does.

What happens if the ferry to Uehara is cancelled?

The boats run to Ohara instead, and both ferry companies run a bus from Ohara Port to Uehara Port, with limited seats. Anei Kanko's is for its own ticket holders. Yaeyama Kanko Ferry's is free with an Uehara-route ticket, but you need a bus ticket from its counter, and it meets only some sailings (timetable valid 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027). The regular route bus also links the two ends of the island but is not timed to the ferries. Check the ferry company's operation status on the morning you travel, and if you are staying near Uehara, tell your lodging.

Can I see Iriomote as a day trip from Ishigaki?

Yes, if you stay near Ohara: a Nakama River cruise and the water-buffalo cart to Yubu Island fit in a day. Kayaking to Pinaisara Falls or walking up the Urauchi River needs a full day on its own, so for those, stay at least one night. Places to stay are spread along the coast road, so book before you sail. Anei Kanko's counters in Ohara and Uehara take cards and electronic payment, but bring cash from Ishigaki for the rest of the island.